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EDITORS’ NOTES

Purple Rain—both the semi-autobiographical No. 1 film and its No. 1 soundtrack—marks the moment that Prince became Prince, the most complex pop mastermind of his generation. After inviting his “dearly beloved” to the opening frenzy of “Let’s Go Crazy,” he leads us on a synth-driven, psycho-sexual odyssey that never lets up. Hits like “When Doves Cry” and the soulful title ballad (which was intentionally modeled after the stadium-filling anthems of Journey and Bob Seger) became pop monuments. But the more eclectic moments—like the menacing fantasy of “Darling Nikki” and the pleading desperation of “Baby I’m a Star”—give shape to this wildly adventurous and irrepressibly freaky masterpiece.

Purple Rain (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture)

EDITORS’ NOTES

Purple Rain—both the semi-autobiographical No. 1 film and its No. 1 soundtrack—marks the moment that Prince became Prince, the most complex pop mastermind of his generation. After inviting his “dearly beloved” to the opening frenzy of “Let’s Go Crazy,” he leads us on a synth-driven, psycho-sexual odyssey that never lets up. Hits like “When Doves Cry” and the soulful title ballad (which was intentionally modeled after the stadium-filling anthems of Journey and Bob Seger) became pop monuments. But the more eclectic moments—like the menacing fantasy of “Darling Nikki” and the pleading desperation of “Baby I’m a Star”—give shape to this wildly adventurous and irrepressibly freaky masterpiece.

About Prince & The Revolution

Prince and the Revolution existed in a formal capacity from only 1984 through 1986, but the origin of the diverse band dates back to 1979, when Prince assembled a team of musicians to help him tour in support of his self-titled second album. Three years later, Prince's 1999 was released with "and the Revolution" printed upside down, in rather hidden fashion, on its cover. The first recording properly credited to Prince and the Revolution was "17 Days," the B-side of the March 1984-released Purple Rain lead single "When Doves Cry." The parent album, as well as the film of the same title, followed shortly thereafter, and featured members Brownmark (bass, vocals), Lisa Coleman (keyboards, vocals), Matt "Doctor" Fink (keyboards), Wendy Melvoin (guitar, vocals), and Bobby Z. (drums). Around the World in a Day (1985) and the soundtrack to Under the Cherry Moon, Parade (1986), were likewise credited to Prince and the Revolution. Despite being associated with the period during which Prince was most popular and adventurous, the Revolution disbanded following the Parade tour. Only Fink continued with Prince, while the other core members either resumed or started new outlets, most notably Wendy & Lisa, and later fDeluxe, a re-formation of the Family. Partial one-off Revolution reunions occurred during the 2000s, and the band reunited in full in 2012 for a benefit concert at First Avenue, the Minneapolis, Minnesota club where part of Purple Rain was filmed. Fink continued to lead the Purple Experience, a Prince tribute band. Following the death of Prince in 2016, Brownmark, Coleman, Fink, Melvoin, and Bobby Z. announced the return of the Revolution. Joined on some dates by Mint Condition's Stokley Williams, they toured the U.S. the following year and performed material spanning from Dirty Mind (1980) through Parade. ~ Andy Kellman